Topic:

Juries

Duration:

2 lessons

Syllabus Outcomes:

5.1 analyses the rights and responsibilities of individuals in a range of consumer, financial, business, legal and employment contexts

5.2 examines the role of law in society

5.3 researches and assesses commercial and legal information using a variety of sources

5.8 explains commercial and legal information using a variety of forms

Students learn about:

The legal framework

- Juries

Students Learn to:

- Explain the process of being summoned for jury duty

- Evaluate the role of juries

Indicators of learning – By the end of this lesson students will be able to...

- Explain the role that juries play in society

- By able to debate the advantages and disadvantages of trial by jury

- Demonstrate informed citizenship with regards to jury duty

Assessment

- Student participation during class discussion

Lesson Plan

15 mins – Introduction – students read through and answer questions on trial by ordeal

15 mins – Text review and questions

15 mins – Class discussion

20 mins – Factsheet activity

15 mins – Incorrect verdicts activity

10 mins – students share incorrect verdict stories

30 mins - Clickview Video

Text Page

Pg 78-79

Glossary of terms:

Define the following in your glossary of terms in the back of your workbook.

- Jury

Introduction:

This lesson we will look at the role of the jury in court proceedings. A jury is formed to represent a cross-section of society, to hear a court case and pass a judgement of guily or not guilty on the accused. We will look at the role of the jury, the advantages and disadvantages of the jury system and how juries are selected, as wekk as the legal rights and obligations of jury members. First, however we will examine how 'trial by jury' first came to be, by looking at the early history of the jury system. Open the document below from schoolhistory.co.uk, read through the information and answer the question at the bottom of page 2.

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Text Review:

Read the story of a juror on page 78 of your text and complete the following in your workbook and complete ‘Activities’ questions 1 – 5.

Class Discussion:

As a class discuss the following statements

- Should the membership of a jury be restricted by age and/or education?

- Should jury members be allowed to publicly discuss the reasons for their decisions after a case has finished?

- Should jury decisions always be unanimous?

Internet Research Activity:

Access the LawAccess website below, and create a one page PDF fact sheet that can be sent to potential jurors when they are summoned for jury duty. The factsheet should include information that you believe is most relevant/necessary for jury service.